Researchers are developing platforms to securely and quickly send data to and from smartphones. A new mobile application developed to assist providers in meeting patient privacy regulation allows for the sharing and storing of patient-related photos, videos and audio.

The PicSafe app allows physicians to record signed or verbal consent for photos, videos and audio from patients. The data are then compressed and encrypted onto the phone before being sent as an encrypted report to another physician or electronic medical record system. The safety measures minimize liability while meeting regulations and controlling costs.

"With the majority of healthcare professionals surveyed out there now using their own camera-equipped smart devices in their practices, these devices benefit our patients by helping us do our jobs better and more efficiently," said co-founder Ted Carner, MD, MPH.

The app complies with regulations set by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the U.S. Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act.